Separation anxiety...in public?

[Jen]

Hi everyone! Brutus is seven months old and doesn't really have separation anxiety; e.g., when I crate him and leave for work, he doesn't cry or bark (probably because I leave him with a Kong which distracts him). However, when we're in public, it's a different story. He consistently freaks out when I walk away. My boyfriend usually waits outside with him while I run into a store, and he immediately cries and barks and tries to lunge after me when I turn my back. He's so loud that I can hear him even while I'm in the store. My boyfriend will try to walk away with him to distract him but it doesn't help. I don't know why this only happens when we're out. I don't make a fuss when I walk away. He only does this with me but he is admittedly much more attached to me. Is this normal? Any tips to stop this? Thank you!

[Susan and Bentley]

Bentley still does that and he's almost 2 1/2 years old.  If I go into a store, he'll sit right outside the door with my daughter until I come back out!

[Becka]

Sadie can get very anxious about me walking away from her in public. When I've had to run back to the car for something and we're at the dog park, she runs along the fence barking and crying even though I never leave her sight. It happens so rarely (that I would walk away from her in public) that I've never really tried to address it, but it sounds like you're doing the right things--trying to have someone distract her/walk away. In addition to not making a fuss when you walk away, I would also be sure not to make a fuss when you return--ignore Brutus until he's calm and sitting down, and then reward him with your attention.

[Laura and Angus]

I was gonna say something along the lines of what Becka mentioned. I would be careful about ignoring Brutus until he's calmed down. It's really easily to accidentally reinforce behaviors. You also don't want to make a big deal about leaving...just calmly walk away without making eye contact and wait until Brutus is calm before coming back up to pet.I wouldn't even approach him if he's barking and jumping and lunging. Wait until he calms or sits down and if he starts doing it again before you reach him, you should probably back away again until he can be calm all the way until your approach.

The other thing you could do is start by going out in to public and taking a few steps away and praising/treating for calm behavior and then slowly slowly increasing your distance...the same way you would practice "stay." Our trainer always says you can't teach a behavior when the dog is at a "level 10" meaning when they're at their most excited/anxious/stressed. You have to give treats and praise and practice when they're more calm and can think/connect their behavior with the reinforcement.

[Jen]

Thank you all! I'll try practicing walking away in increasing distances and praising/treating him when he's calm!